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D. e. WEEMS. ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

Paftenued Oct.

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ATTOMHS.

(No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet 3.

n. G. WEEMS. 1 ELEG'JIRIGRA'ILWAY SYSTEM. No. 391,394. 1 Patented'Oot. 16, 1888.

WITNESSES; INVENTOR: W M M fi ZXQWM Q, -@/6i@"m I ATTORNEYS...

1). G. BEMs. ELEUTRIG RAILWAY SYSTEM.

9 sheets sheet 5.

(No Model.

No. 3 91394.. Patented 001;. 16, 1888.1

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wrmnssns:

ATTORNEYS.

:No'Model. s'sneets sheen s. n. G. WEEMS. ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

1%.391594. Patente& M. 16,1888.

WITNESSES; V INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.)

7 9 sneetssheet s. V D. G. WEEMS. ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

a l i i i 72 wnwssts: Y IN vavron mom/5Y (No Model?) Q I I 8 9S11eets--Sheet 9.

' D. G. WEEMS.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

No. 891,894. I Patented Oct. 1 1888;

. Attorney filed March 20, 1888, Serial No. 267,802, being so constructed that when a number of cars are" uration'thefront end in this case being wed gel displaces the air when the train is in ,motion,

throughout, and the locomotive and cars will oi the locomotive, as shown in Fig. 8.

. and carrying brake-shoes m,- which are adapted in Figs. 1, -2,5,"and 7. The upper-ends of the one or more 'dynamos permanently located atone or both terminals of the road, and also with dynamos at points interni'ejiate thereof, if desired.

The cars D in the present case aresimilar-to those shown and described in my application coupled together the entire train presents'a practically unbroken surface on all sides, thereby reducing to a minimum .the friction incident to thc rapid travel of the train. Therefore I deem it advisable to provide the cars with the compressible wings or ends shown in my former applicatiomhled March 20,1888, Serial No. 267,802, thereby adapting the end of one car to telescope wit-lithe meeting end of the car to be coupled. The locomotive-E in the present instance I prefenhow ever, to construct asshown in Fig. 8that is, of a practically square cross-sectional configshapcd, instead of conical, with its extremity in a plane below the longitudinal center of the locomotive, whereby it not only effectually but also, by reason of the increased area of its upper inclined surface, thelocom'ot-ive is more snugly held to the track. I

The cars which contain the mail and express matter have by preference a uniform diameter be supplied with coupling devices-such,'for. instance, as those shown in my application filed March 20, 1888, Serial No. 267,802-=- while the rear end of the rear car'will by preference conform to the shape of the front end The locomotive and each succeeding car is provided with a suitable brake mechanism, which is automatically operated, to check the progress of the train, and by preference this brake mechanism comprises electromagnets a,- secured in any suitable positions on the cars and locomotive, and in electric connection with a branch wire, 7;, leading from the main wire, c, which conducts the current from the upper guide-rail, B, to the motors.

Contiguous to each of the magnets a is a suitable armature, d, having agnide-stem,e, which extends above and below thearmature, the lower portion passing into the magnet, while theupper portionis formed with ahead, f, to which the inner ends of rods or pit-men g are pivotally connected; the ontufendso? said rods or pitmen being also pivotally'connected with horizontally-sliding brake-rods-h moving in guides 12 fi-xed to the frame of the car and-connected at their outer ends to suit able brake-levers l, pivotedat their lower endsto the rim of the snpporting-wheelsasshown brake=levers Zare connected with rods n,which are mounted in guides Maud between said guides and around the rods 11 are coiled;

springs a. From the description of this brake mechanism it will be observed that intheir normal positions the armature is against the magnet, and the brake shoes accordingly held away from the rims of the main supporting and shoes into the positions shown in Fig. 2,-

tbo mitnien being straightened out by the movement of the rode it andth-e armaturcs lifted out of contact with their magnets; The brake being thus applied, when it isdesired to release them it may be readily dofie by cansing the cnrrentto again pass through the mag nets, the armatures being inuturn attracted toward said magnets, the brake-shoes beingther'eby moved away from the wheels, the brake-levers and rods assuming the. positions shown in Fig. 1.

Instead of locating the bearing wheels and brake mechanism on the outside of the cars and locomotive, I may, if desired, locate them L within the same, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, in which latter instance all outside projections are dispensed with, and the resistance incident to externally-located wheels, .brake mech'an ism, doc, is entirely avoided.

a .A very important feature of the present case'is the transferring of the current from the electrically-charged rail to the motors on the locomotive in such quantities that I am Ito;

enabled to regulate the speed of the moving train at will, or remove the current entirely when the train should'be stopped, the desired result in either case being automatically accomplished; and when the. mechanisms foreffecting these most desirablorcsults' are used in connection with any well-known formof switch-board and indicating apparatus at the 4 central station or other place, the location and speed of thetrain are known to the operator,

' who 'at all timeshas the train ortraius under his control. These mechanisms, of which I will hereinafter describe a preferred form, will i be used in conjunction with certain ad j ustable s'tops, F,.G, anii H, on the line-of road, and;

these stops may be operated in any suitable manner [or may be fixed ones, and numbered to 'correspond. with certain 'numbers on the switchboard inv the operators room, with f which boardthey may beelectrically connected 'in any well-known manuer, While other eonstrfletionsi may be nsjed in carrying out this part of my invention, the construction which I prefer to employ consistsof a housing, I, secured by any-suitable means preferably to the.

locomotivemnd connected with the electrically- Ioharged rail B bya wire, r, leading therefrom,

as shownin the diagram, Fig. 4. Between the.

sides of thehonsing and mounted-upon the bolt or pinsisa lcver, K, the lower end-of which carries 'aTcontact-pjoint, t, while the upper portion, which projects above the top of the locom otive, is inclin ed or beveled at its end, for the par pose of engaging the stops F, G, and H, the said lcverbeing also attached to ascooud lever, L, upon the bolt or pin 8 hy nicans of a chain or other connection, a, which passes around a sheave or pulley, M, journaled between brackets secured to the housing, whereby said Isvers move inunison. The housing is also pro vided with insulated contact-points N, O, and P, of varying sizes, and from these points wires lead to the mainnvire, which transmitsthe current to the motors, as more particularly shown in Fig. 4, the said wires, if desirable, or necessary. leading to suitable resistance-coils before joining the main wire. From this description it will be seen that, the current being turned on, it passes to the upper rail and. from thence through theguidewhecl to the housing, thenccthrough the lever K, the desired contact, and it's wire or wires to the mo tors on the locomotivethence from said motor tothc bearing-rails in any suitable manner,

. and is finally returned to the generator to com-- pletethe circuit. The train may now be moved by any suitable-means unl ii the lever K strikes the first stop or abutment, F. This movement 'lhrosvs the contact-pointnt the lower end of the lever onto the first contact-point, N, in or on the housi ng; andtransmitscu rrent th rough thewires to the motor, which drives the train.

at a. slow rate of speed. \Vhen the leverK- meets-the next stop or abutment, G, it is mo Vedt ain until the contact-points t and 0 come together, when, because of the increased size ol' thepoiut O, a still greater volume of currrent is thus permitted to pass to the motor,

and when the next stop or abutment meets the lever K it throws it'onto the contact-point P, in which latter instance all the current that is required .passes from the mil B and is conveyed to the traveling motor, thereby driving the, train at a high rateof speed.

I will here state that the stops before mentinned-may be located at or near thestarting them in the path of the other lover, L, so that when it is desired to stop'the train at any predetermined point or to reduce its speed any one or more of the stops are adjusted so'as'to trip the lever L and force it backward, thereby drawing upon. the chaimconnection and, moving the other lever back until its contactpoint rests upon the desired contact in or on the housing, which reduces the amount of current passing from the electrically-charged rail to the motor; or, if the lever L-is moved for enough it will throw the contachpoint of le-, ver K entirely clear of thecontnots N,'O,- and P, thereby cutting oif the current from the speed of the train to be checked. Iain therefore enabled by the use of the two connected levers, the varyi ng contacts, and the varyingor adjustable stops to increase nml'redncc the speed of the train and to start and stop the train at will.

Having thus described my in vcntlon, what I claim asneujand dcsire to secure by Letters Eatent, isr 1. In an electric-railway system in which n train of cars is operated by a current from an electric rail, a series cl contact-points ofvarying resistance and in the motor -cir'cuit a switching-lever adapted to engage therewith, a second lever-connected with tlle'first lever, and a plural series of varying or adjustable stops out-he line of road and in the path of the switching-levers, whereby increased or reduced currents are automatically transmitted from the electric rail to the inotur.

'2. In an electric-railway system,'l'ho combination of a train of cars havingbrake meclr anism, magnets on the cars for actuating the brake mechanism, the main rails or tracks, on electrically-charged rail, a series of adjustable stops, switching-levers actuated by said stops for transmitting the current from the electric rail to the train, whereby the spcedof th'c latter is controlled. and connections between the magnets 'a'nd switching-levers. I

3. Thecombiuation, with a train of cars, an electric motor connected therewith, the main .rails, andthe electricnlly-charged guide'rai], of a plural numberof' switchiug levcrscarried by the tmin, graduated contact-points in the path of the lovers for increasing or decreasing the. speed of the train, and automatic brake mechanism on the train in elcctricconucction with thegnide-rail, substantiallyasdescribed.

4. Inhn electric-railway system in which a" train of cars is propelled by the current from an electrically-charged rail, suitable contact points of varying intensities on the train in electric connection with the electric rail,'a switching-leverhaving-acontactpointadapted to move in the path of the varying contactpoints, whereby an increased current is trans initted to the .tra'in,a second switching-lever, -connected with thefirstlever and adapted to reduce or entirely out 0d the current from the train, brake mechanisms ou-the train connected with thevarying contacts, and adj ustable stops on the line of road for operating the levers, substantially asdescribed.

tea

5. In an elcctrierailunysystcm in. which a trainof cars is operated by c currcnt'trom an electric rail, a suitablemotor on the locomotive, and a housing or frame havin'g'contaotpoints 1T0 P, with. wires leading therefrom to the motor and 'to'the brakcmech'auisms, a switching'leverhaving acontachpoint adapted to move in the path of and to engage the con-.

tact-points on the housing, a second lever: con- I nected with the first lever, and suitable adjustmotor, cnusingthe brake to operate cud-the,

able or varying stops onthe line of road for tripping-the levers and automatically iucreas 3 ing or decreasing the speed of the train, sub stantially as described.

(i. In an electric-railway system in which the train is propelled by a current from an electric rail, a mechanism for increasing or decreasing the speed of the train, comprising contact-points N 0 Fund their connections be tween the electric rail and the motor on the train, a switching-lever adapted to be moved into and out-01' contact with said points, aseeoud lever connected with the first lever, and adjustable and varying stops on the line of road and in the path of the levers, whereby when the switching-lever is moved in one direction or from one contact-point to another the speed of the train is'inoreused and when moved in the opposite direction the speed is decreased, substantially as herein described.

7. In an electric-railway system in which a train ollcars is propelled by a current from an electric rail, said train haviugsuitablebi ake mechanisms, of a mechanism for starting and stopping the train and controlling its speed, comprising contact-points of varying intensities, a switehinglever having a contactpoiu't adapted to engage therewith, a second lever connected with the first lever, moving with it, but in an opposite direction, connections be i tween the varying contacts and the brake mechanisms, and stops on the line of road for tripping the levers, whereby the contaet-lever is moved from one point to another to vary the speed of the train, or may be moved out of engagement altogether with the varying contacts,' whereby the current is cut otf from the train and the brakes automaticallyapplied.

8. In an electric-railway system 'for'truusporting wail, express-packages, &c., the lower motive and succeeding cars, and the means for transferri ng the on rrent from the upper guidetheupper guide-rail, the l ocorail to the locomotive, comprising the housing with its variable contacts and switchinglevers, and stops on the line of road for tripping the levers, in combination with brake mechanisms on the locomotive and cars, comprising electro-inaguets, armaturcs attracted thereby to release the brakes, the pivoted pitmen, brake-rods, levers, and shoes, the springs operating against the brake-levers to apply the brake when the armatures are released, and the branch wire leading from the main conducting-wire to the electro-magnets throughout the train, whereby the brakes arc-applied simultaneously, substantially as described.

9. A locomotive or car of uniform width from end to end and having a square or ap proximately square cross-sectional configuration, said car having a wedge-shaped front end whose width about equals the width of the locomotive and having the extremity loeated below the longitudinal center of the ear, substantially as herein described.

10. In an electric-railway system for trans: porting mail, express-packages, &c., the electric rail, and beariug-rails, the locomotive, and means for conveying the current thereto in predetermined quantities, consisting of a hous ing having lever K, having a eontact-point adapted to engage therewith, a second lever, a connection between the two levers, whereby they move in unison, a guide sheave or pulley for connecting the wires leading from the graded contact-points to the locomotive and the brake mechanisms, and the'stops on the line of road for tripping the lovers, substantially as and for the purpose described.

- DAVID G. \VEEMS. \Viinesses:

'l. WALTER FOWLER, \V. H. PATTERSON.

graded contact-points, the pivoted It is hereby certified that, Le tt ers Patent No. 391,394, issued October 16, 1888, upon Llie application of David G. Wcvms, of Baltimore, Maryland, for (Lil improvement in Electric Railway, Systems, were irrmnuously granted to the said David G. Weems; that said LQUPIS Patent should have been granted to The Efectro-Automatic Transit Company of Baltimore City, as sole assigneu of said Wuems; and that, said Letters Patent should he read withthis uorrectiun therein that. (he Sillllu inn-y conform to the.

record 0! L110 case in the Patent; Ofi ce.

Signed, couutersigued, and smiled this 23:! day of Ocwbor, A. D. 1338.

D. L. HAWKINS, Assistant Swtuary of the Interior [SEAL.]

' Countersigued:

BENTON J. HALL,

Commissioner of Pnhmts. 

